pages 15 and 16 of the SwanCon XI programme book have a veritable smörgåsbord of topics – the Masquerade, the Auction, the Fan Olympics, the Smoking Policy, the Short Story Competition, and the Cocktail Party, as well as an advert for “Dent Australia”, featuring at least one book that I should be able to find, if only my books weren’t all in a teetering mound while waiting for the bookshelf to be fixed.
As ever, typos faithlessly reproduced…
Fan Olympics
SWANCON’s are famous for thir last day of madness, the Fan Olympics this year will be no different. Come and join in this enjoyable act of lunacy – be at the main hall at 10am Monday. Wear practical type clothing, expecially for the horizontal mountain climbing (or you might be embarassed !!)
Auction
This year’s auction will be a little different from previous years. We will have the services of Justin Ackroyd, Marc Ortlieb and John McDouall as auctioneers, and ably assisted by Kit Stevens, Caroline Strong, and Sarah Moore.
The reason for the “auction with a difference” is one of convenience. This year it will be conducted on a “ cash-and-carry” basis. That is, you will pay for each item as you win the bid for it, that’s the reason behind having more than one auctioneer and lots of helpers !
Also this year, we’ll be having minimum bids and minimum increases – in both cases the amount is 50c.
Tags will be available from registration, fill them out completely – one per item and affixed to each item (otherwise items with no tags will be assumed to be donations to the con). Instructions on how to fill the tags out will also be at registration. The con will take a 20% commission on all items (except donations to fan funds and similar “charitable” organizations). Anyone wishing to donate items for auction can bring them along on the first day of the con and arrange to have them picked up by John McDouall. Anyone wishing to donate items, as such, for a specific cause will have to make it very clear who/what the beneficiary is and what percentage they are to get.
Account facilities, on a $10 deposit, will be available to any who feel they may be spending up big, on a number of items.
Smoking Policy
Only in in certain areas of the convention centre will smoking be allowed – in the registration area, and the Stockholm Room.
NO SMOKING in the main hall,
exceptions will be made to panellists, but we suggest you consult the persons you sit next to in your panel if they object to you smoking.
Smoking and No Smoking areas will be allocated to persons attending the Banquet.
Short Story Competition
Since the arrival of Space Merchants, Swancon has had a sponsor for a a short story competition.
We are pleased to be able to offer this competition again this year. Enteries have been received from around Australia and the preliminary reading has been conducted by Grant Stone. A small number of stories have been selected by this process.
The winner will be decided by our judges, George Turner and C. J. Cherryh, over this first two days of the convention.
The winner will be announced as part of the awards ceremony on Sunday night.
Cocktail Party
The Cocktail Party, that was programmed to be on friday night, can’t be !
Due to Gaming & Licensing Laws that apply over Easter, the Cocktail Party is moved to Monday afternoon – and made into a Dead Dog Party.
Sorry Folks !!
So, at this point, the text of the advert, and that regarding the Masquerade, will have to be left until later. But enquiring minds need to know – is this the first instance of the SwanCon Dead Dog Party? Did it become a tradition the year after, or is it something that has faded into and out of popularity?